How can certain meats be cured for months without rotting? Same question for alcohol that’s been cured for decades?
In: Other
The microorganisms that cause meat to rot require quite a lot of moisture to propagate. Curing meat in salt causes moisture to be extracted through osmosis, bringing the moisture level down and allowing meat to be aged without microorganisms breaking it down and causing rot. Modern curing processes also involve using nitrite or nitrate salts, which actively inhibit the growth of microorganisms. As for alcohol…it’s alcohol. Microorganisms can’t grow in it. That’s why you can put whiskey in a barrel for 20 years and it’ll come out just fine.
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